Ambient condition detectors are known in the art. When an ambient condition detector senses an alarm condition, the detector can enter a full alarm mode. It is to be understood that the full alarm mode as described herein can include an alarm mode during which the detector transmits an alarm signal followed by a brief silent period of time before retransmitting the alarm signal. Those of skill in the art will understand that the alarm signal can include, but is not limited to any of the following signals, alone or in combination: (1) a continuous alarm signal, for example, a continuous sound or steady tone, (2) a beeping sound, (3) an alarm signal is that is repeatedly on for a predetermined period of time and off for a predetermined period of time, (4) a repeating pattern of beeping, sound, or spoken words, for example, three or four beeps, (5) an alarm signal with the temporal-four pattern required by UL 2034, or (6) an alarm signal with the temporal-three pattern required by ANSI/ASA S3.41 and ISO 8201. Those of skill in the art will also understand that the brief silent period of time can be a predetermined period of time. For example, when the alarm signal includes the temporal-four pattern, the brief silent period of time can be five seconds. Furthermore, when the alarm signal includes the temporal-three pattern, the brief silent period of time can be 1.5 seconds.
However, known detectors can be powered by a battery, and operating in the full alarm mode can drain the battery in a short period of time. Even when the detector is hard wired to a control panel and receives power therefrom, the control panel can run on a backup battery during a power outage, and operating in the full alarm mode during such a power outage can drain the backup battery of the control panel. Accordingly, after the detector has been in the full alarm mode for a predetermined period of time, known detectors can transition into a soft alarm mode. It is to be understood that the soft alarm mode as described herein includes an alarm mode during which the detector transmits an alarm signal followed by an extended silent period of time before retransmitting the alarm signal. Those of skill in the art will understand that the alarm signal can include, but is not limited to any of the alarm signals described above. Those of skill in the art will also understand that the extended period of time can be a predetermined period of time that is longer than the brief period of time of the full alarm mode. For example, the extended period of time can be sixty seconds.
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method 100 known in the art. For example as seen in FIG. 1, the method 100 can include an ambient condition detector sensing an alarm condition, for example, carbon monoxide, as in 110. Then, the method 100 can include the ambient condition detector entering a full alarm mode for a predetermined period of time as in 120. After expiration of the predetermined period of time, the method 100 can include the ambient condition detector entering a soft alarm mode as in 130.
Alarm signals transmitted during the soft alarm mode have been considered to be a sufficient alarm notification because a person entering a monitored region after the detector has entered the soft alarm mode can still hear the intermittent alarm signals transmitted by the detector. Furthermore, when the detector communicates with the control panel, it can be assumed that the control panel has notified a central monitoring station about the alarm and that the central monitoring station has had enough time to take the appropriate action, for example, sending a fire truck to address a carbon monoxide or smoke detector in alarm.
However, emerging trends have ambient condition detectors in communication with a user device, such as a smart phone or other handheld device, instead of the control panel or central monitoring station. Accordingly, there is no guarantee that a user will take the appropriate action to address the detector in alarm. Furthermore, when the user enters the monitored region after the detector has entered the soft alarm mode, the user may hear the intermittent alarm signals, but because the signals stop for the extended period of time in between transmissions, the user may disregard the alarm.
In view of the above, there is a continuing, ongoing need for improved systems and methods.